by KATRINA PIERCE of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment

With ‘green’ issues very much at the forefront of the global business agenda it is unsurprising that the world’s workforce has had to review its operations to work in harmony with the environment.

As a result everyone, from CEOs to shopfloor operatives, is suddenly expected at the very least to be aware of their impact on the environment and reduce, re-use and recycle.

As an increasing number of employees find themselves having to take on corporate environmental responsibility where there has previously been no officer for the role, appropriate environmental training is the only way to ensure that staff feel comfortable taking on responsibility for a business- critical role.

Obtaining environmental training should be viewed as a sound investment in your company’s future. When working in informed compliance with the environment, your staff will save on cost, strengthen your organisation’s profile and ensure that all that is necessary to manage emissions, waste and resources is done.

The IEMA provides access to approved training courses and other environmental training solutions. The institute believes that training is the foundation for development and maintenance of professional standards, supporting the notion of lifelong learning.

For those who currently have little to no environmental knowledge there is an in-house training product available to buy off the shelf.

The IEMA’s Introduction to Environmental Awareness Trainer’s Manual underpins the key environmental areas that a company should take into consideration. As a manual with an editable accompanying CD-ROM, it is ideal for the appointed training manager within a particular enterprise to create tailored training sessions.

A more advanced, professionally-recognised training programme is available from IEMA-approved training course providers. These courses range from one-day CPD environmental awareness sessions to three-day Resource Efficiency or CSR residential courses. These CPD courses count towards IEMA and other CPD schemes.

A stride further into more advanced environmental territory would lead to either a Foundation or Associate Certificate course in environment management. The Foundation Certificate is designed to raise the professional competence of those who have recently become involved in environmental management. The Associate Membership Certificate course provides similar content at a higher level.

It also assesses current knowledge and understanding of environmental management and its application. This course, upon successful completion, also provides Associate IEMA membership, which entitles the individual to use the suffix AIEMA after their name.